I Need to know what to feed a Iguanna?

Question

My Son had 2 Green Iguannas and on just recently died and we need to know what to feed them?

Answer 1

You shouldn't feed your iguanas crickets. They are not meat eaters.What you feed your iguana will be directly related to their overall health and well-being. Green Iguanas are herbivores, that is, they are plant eaters. Animal proteins, such as dog food, cat food, and various "people food" treats should be avoided completely if possible. Iguanas do tend to like junk food, like pizza, but it is not good for them, and feeding them alot of food like this can lead to kidney failure at a young age. If you do feed your iguana "treats", we'd recommend keeping it at a once per month MAXIMUM to be on the safe side. Kale, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and other cabbage-related vegetables should be fed only in small amounts. These vegetables can cause thyroid problems if they are fed to your lizard frequently. Spinach should not be fed at all to an iguana, because it binds calcium.

Iguanas require a diet that is high in calcium, low in phosporous, and contains Vitamin D3. Greens should be the staple of the diet. By greens we mean, Collard greens, Mustard greens, Dandelion greens(you can pick these right out of your yard as long as they are not treated with pesticides and washed before feeding), Turnip greens, etc. Mixed vegetables, squash, zucchini, yams, raspberries & blackberries(high in calcium), bananas, and other fruits and vegetables or commercial iguana food can also be added, but the large majority of the diet should be greens. If your iguana is getting a proper diet than no extra vitamins really need to be added to the food.

Answer 2

la la was spot on.
they really enjoy collard greens, lettuce, and some other greens. You can also give them certain fruits, but there are certain ones that you cant, so you may want to check on that because im not completely sure which. They will eat the occasional cricket or grasshoper, but they are usually reluctant to do so.
the most likely cause for the iguanas death, unless accidental, would be internal or even external parasits, which iguanas are EXTREMELY prone too. There are medicines that you can put in their water or food if you think they have them.
Another cause could be intenstinal blockage, this can be seen if the iguana starts getting lazy, its stomach starts getting squishy to the touch, and it can't lift itself with its own legs.
this can be treated, but only in its early stages, by letting the iguana sit in a dish or bowl or whatever of warm water, enough so its mouth and nostrils are above water.
Another possible cause is dehydration, be sure your iguana always has plenty of water.
Feed them a lot, but if they refuse food, dont force feed, becuase obesity is actually another common problem. I have lost a few iguanas, so i know the dissapointment.
Good luck, hope i was able to provide some assistance.

Answer 3

The following link has a great recipe for Iguana Salad - http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/igdiet.html

My iguanas usually get a salad that includes the following:

2 Sweet potatoes/yams
1 Butternut Squash
1 lb Green Beans
3 Large Parsnips
1 Bunch Parsley
1/4 lb Figs
1 lb or so Alfalfa pellets

I usually take the above ingredients and shred them in a salad shooter or food processor, and then supplement it with fresh greens (Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Dandelion Greens, Turnip Greens, Swiss Chard, and sometimes Kale), along with fresh fruit (Bananas, Grapes, Apples, etc). You can usually put the shredded part of the salad in zip lock bags and freeze some of them for later. For the Alfalfa Pellets, you can either buy this from a feed store (as horse food, but you need to put it in with the salad and let it sit so that it softens up so that smaller iguanas can eat it). You can also buy alfalfa pellets from pet stores in rabbit food or you can use the Zoo Med Adult Iguana food pellets too. You'll also want to supplement it with a multivitamin supplement (like Reptocal or Miner All indoor formula) and a calcium supplement with a 2:1 calcium: phosphorus ratio) Either way, your iguana should be pretty happy with this diet. I have kept Iguanas (Green and Rhinoceros) for about 8 years now, and they've all done well on this diet. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I'm a bit distressed you haven't looked up what they need to eat the moment you got them. However, the main concern when feeding iguanas is to make sure there is a 2:1 ratio of calcium vs. phospherous. Basically, lotsa of leafy greens (do NOT feed them head lettuce like iceberg - there is no nutritional value in it for them). Greens make up 40-50% of the diet. Veggies should make up another 40% - carrots, green beans, peas, orange squash, etc. Do not use celery as this, like head lettuce, has little nutrients in it. Fruits and a speck of grain makes up the last 10% or so of the diet. For fruit, try mix a little calcium powder (JurassiPet Jurassi-Cal) in with the grated fruit to keep the calcium/phospherous balance.

If one just died, you may want to review the other for possible ailments - do the legs seem very thick and hard (looks like muscle), does he have an overbite, rubbery looking toes, does he drag his body along the ground instead of carry himself? All of these are signs of Metabolic Bone Disease, caused by too little calcium in the diet and and too little UVA/UVB light.

If his colors seem to be very dark or very pale, he doesn't move much or pants with his mouth open, check the enclosure's temperatures. They should be around 85-90 degrees in the day, and not lower than 75 at night (although 80 is optimal).

If you see creases in the skin along their ribs (from top to bottom, not from front to back) when they are perfectly straight, they may be dehydrated. Try keep the humidity in the tropical zone ( 70% or higher) and spritz them and the walls of the tank with mist from a spray bottle. If he seems to hiss at you, spritz some water in his mouth (but don't do it to amuse yourself, or you will get a crabby lizard). Keep humidity up too if they are flaking with their shed but not losing it.

Please do a lot of RESEARCH on these guys, to prevent the second iguana from a dead end. Here are some sources to get you started on basic home and feeding.

Answer 5

Here is a site that has a list of all foods that you can feed your iguana. I refered to this site when my hubby first bought his Iguana.

Greens:
collard, mustard, turnip tops and greens, bok choy, pak choi

Calcium-fortified Fruits

High-calcium fruits should make up the remaining 5 percent of the diet.
The best fruits to offer include:
Grapes
Papayas
Mangos
Raspberries
Figs

Answer 6

Besides diet, which the best one can be found at www.anapsid.org, your iggy needs a basking spot at about 100F (use a digital thermometer), a UVB bulb--both left on 12 hours a day. Change the UVB every 6 months. A pool to bathe and soak in--kept spotlessly clean (they usually poop in water). Vet visit for a parasite check up.

Answer 7

You got lizards without knowing what to feed them?
You need to give them a variety of fruit and veg, steer clear of avocado/tomato and only feed lettuce occasionally
I'd recommend a calcium supplement as well,speak to the person at the pet shop about that.

Answer 8

collard greens, spinach and green vegtables that fall into that catorgorie trust me i had one for 6 years. Just to let you know they live more then that if it is not an accidental death and the grow to be 6 feet tall so cherish this time they won't be cute or small forever.

Answer 9

How About You Take Him To The Vet, Ever Think Of That?

Answer 10

They love lots of greens and crickets/grass hoppers and other bugs. Enjoy